Table of Contents
Bolles Family Papers
A Guide to the collection at the Connecticut Historical Society
Collection Overview |
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| Repository: | Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford, Connecticut |
| Creator : | Bolles Family |
| Title : | Bolles Family Papers |
| Dates : | 1788-1829 |
| Extent : | 0.5 linear foot (1 box) |
| Location: | Ms 30016 |
| Language: | English |
Biographical Sketch
Enoch and Hannah (Moore) Bolles lived in New London, Connecticut. Enoch was descended from John Bolles, a noted figure in the Rogerene religious movement in Connecticut. The couple had 14 children, all born in New London. Their third child, David Bolles (1743-1807) was a farmer, tanner and currier until becoming a Baptist minister, first in Hartford and later in Ashford, Connecticut. Asa Bolles (1746-1801) was the fifth child of Enoch and Hannah and he was a farmer and a Baptist deacon.
John Bolles was the seventh child in the family. He was a successful merchant in Hartford and was noted for his piety and goodness. He walked to Baptist church services in Suffield before helping form the First Baptist Church in Hartford in 1790. He married Lydia Taber with whom he had nine children, including George W. (b. 1787), who became a doctor, Jeremiah (1791-1818) a merchant, and Edward John (1797-1882) also a merchant and a clerk in the First Baptist Church in Hartford.
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Scope and Content
John Bolles received letters from his brother Nathan, a Baptist deacon who lived in West Springfield, Mass., between 1792 and 1794. The bulk of their correspondence dealt with their feelings of unworthiness before God, the importance of conversion, and their respective states of mind. Nathan evidently traded with John as he mentions purchasing rye, corn and peas for John and needing tea, molasses and rum in return. Letters from John Rathburn in New York City, 1794-1795, deal exclusively with trade, primarily about the markets for salt, flaxseed and beef. John Bolles received letters from his brother Nathan, a Baptist deacon who lived in West Springfield, Mass., between 1792 and 1794. The bulk of their correspondence dealt with their feelings of unworthiness before God, the importance of conversion, and their respective states of mind. Nathan evidently traded with John as he mentions purchasing rye, corn and peas for John and needing tea, molasses and rum in return. Letters from John Rathburn in New York City, 1794-1795, deal exclusively with trade, primarily about the markets for salt, flaxseed and beef.
A significant number of letters were written to Benjamin Hastings of Westfield, Mass. The two men discussed such topics as duty to God, reformations and baptisms, finding peace, and accepting God. Hastings’ daughters evidently lived with Bolles while receiving an education and John mentions their well being in some of the later missives.
In letters to his son, Edward, John also issued religious admonitions. He urged Edward to continue to strengthen his belief in God. Several letters implore Edward to return home to oversee his own store, which seems to have been thriving even in his absence. Against his father’s wishes, Edward resided with his Uncle Jesse Bolles in New London.
Finally, John is represented by several bills, receipts and accounts from 1778-1794 for such things as padding a saddle, shipping barrels of sugar, and shipping beef, flaxseed and rum.
The bulk of the incoming correspondence of George Bolles consisted of pleas from Ephraim Robbins, a childhood friend, who desperately wanted to maintain a correspondence with George. The letters date from 1799-1807. Ephraim wrote extensively about his poor state of mind, his doubts about his “election”, and news of “Great awakenings”. George also received letters from his uncle Isaac Bolles and a cousin, Peter Bolles. These missives discuss books, redemption of the soul, “masonary orations” and business.
Big brother George gave brotherly advice to his younger brother Edward, 1805-1818. George advised him to study and obey his parents. Once Edward established his store, George mentioned his attempts to purchase knives for him. In one intriguing letter, George talked about working on cadavers, specifically a Negro one. A much later letter, 1825, ordered a memorial stone for Jeremiah Crocker from Eliphalet Tomkins, and includes a drawing of the design. Financial records include bills for George’s work as a doctor.
The third series includes Jeremiah Bolles’ letters to his brother Edward, 1806-1818. He advised Edward to continue his schooling and admonished him about eating too many sweets, particularly molasses. After 1815, Jeremiah mentioned the success of Edward’s store and reported that he needed knives and Jews harps to send him.
The final folder in the collection contains letters written to and from various family members. A letter from Matthew Bolles to John in 1792 mentions the “Reformation in Ashford” where David was minister. Brother Asa Bolles discussed sending shirting to John in a letter dated 1791. The final letter is from Isaiah Bolles to his nephew Edward, 1810 about Edward’s returning home.
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Arrangement
The collection, a donation by Frederick W. Payne in 1919, has been arranged into three series according to the individual receiving or writing the letters or financial documents, with the father, John Bolles first, followed by his sons George and Jeremiah.
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Restrictions
Access Restrictions
There are no restrictions on access to the collection.
Use Restrictions
Use of the material requires compliance with the Connecticut Historical Society's Research Center regulations.
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Personal Names
Subject Headings
Geographic Names
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Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Item, Collection Title, Collection number (Box #, Folder #). Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford, Connecticut.
Proc essing Details
Collection was processed by Barbara Austen in 2006.
EAD Finding Aid created October 2013.
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Contents:
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Return to the Table of Contents John Bolles Papers1778-1818 |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 1 | 1-2. | John Bolles letters from brother Nathan Bolles, 1792-1794 | |||||||||
| 1 | 3-4. | John Bolles letters from John Rathburn, 1794-1795 | |||||||||
| 1 | 5. | John Bolles letters to brother David Bolles, 1785-1801 | |||||||||
| 1 | 6-10. | John Bolles letters to Benjamin Hastings, 1807-1812 | |||||||||
| 1 | 11. | John Bolles letters to son Edward Bolles, 1809-1818 | |||||||||
| 1 | 12. | John Bolles bills, receipts and accounts, 1778-1794 | |||||||||
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Return to the Table of Contents George W. Bolles Paperstype="inclusive">1799-1829 |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 1 | 13-14. | George Bolles letters from Ephraim Robbins, type="inclusive">1799-1807 | |||||||||
| 1 | 15. | George Bolles letters, 1809-1810, 1825 | |||||||||
| 1 | 16-17. | George Bolles letters to brother Edward Bolles 1805-1818 | |||||||||
| 1 | 18. | George Bolles accounts, 1824-1829 | |||||||||
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Return to the Table of Contents Jeremiah Bolles and other Bolles family papers,1791-1818 |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 1 | 19. | Jeremiah Bolles letters to brother Edward Bolles 1807-1818 | |||||||||
| 1 | 20. | Correspondence among various Bolles family members, 1791-1810 | |||||||||